Ransom
by maiko122
Summary: Set 3-4 years after the finale, the Fire Nation and the rest of the world is living in tenuous peace. An attack on the Fire Nation palace threatens it all. Story is focalized through Mai as she's my fav character to write. Chapters 3 and 4 finally up!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Asked Santa for ownership of Avatar. Guess I wasn't a good girl cuz I didn't get it. So yeah, this is purely fan fic; no profit on my behalf.

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_"A large explosion. Utter chaos. Then complete silence. Those are the only things I remember from that afternoon…"_

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"Ex-excuse me my Lady."

The voice was timid and low. Mai looked up from the Pai Sho board and saw a young woman plainly dressed in the stiff cotton robes all palace servants wore. She remained prostrate in front of her until Mai softly cleared her throat indicating she should rise.

"I've received a message from the Fire Lord. He sends his apologies but his meeting has run longer than anticipated and he will be unable to join you for dinner. He said for you to enjoy your meal and join him for tea in his study after you have dined." Mai eyed the girl momentarily before speaking. She looked afraid and for good reason. This was the third such message she had delivered this week. Mai shifted in her seat and responded with a cool indifference, just as she had done yesterday and the day before, only this time she decided not to finger her knives while giving her response.

After the servant left, Mai returned her attention to the game. Furrowing her brows, Mai contemplated the quickest way to an immediate victory. She had become bored with the game and thinking of 101 ways to skewer a Fire Lord was far more entertaining. Mai had just picked up the Jasmine tile when she was interrupted again.

"Mai." It was Suki this time, her current opponent and one of her closest friends for the past three years.

"What?" Mai's tone held the agitation that her face would not express.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what exactly? The fact that my husband stood me up for dinner…._again_? He has a job to do so I've become accustomed to eating alone."

"But you're obviously upset."

Mai shrugged her shoulders, rested an elbow on the table, and absentmindedly rubbed her temple. "True. I said I've become _accustomed_ to eating alone. I said nothing about liking it."

"I'm just saying. With the baby almost here…"

"Oh you're so right Suki," Mai interrupted, mock enthusiasm clinging to her words. "In the past eight months I hadn't once considered that Zuko's political obligations might interfere with his responsibilities as a father seeing as it usually interrupts his responsibilities as a husband!"

"You know Mai, I get enough sarcasm at home from Sokka. I don't need it from you too."

"Apparently you do. You keep coming back." The two young women glared at each other and then broke into laughter.

"I hate you." Suki laughed.

"The feeling's mutual." Mai smiled as she placed her Jasmine tile next to Suki's Rhododendron.

Before Suki could make the next move, an explosion rocked the Fire Nation Palace with such force that both she and Mai were thrust forward in their chairs. A second explosion could be felt seconds later followed closely by a third. There was only a moment of silence before the offensive attack began. On the other side of the wood and paper lattice door, Mai could hear the grunt of fire benders and the whoosh of fire pouring from their grip. The silence that normally enveloped the palace lay shredded and destroyed.

As Mai struggled to rise from her chair, Suki rushed to her aid. Catching her arm she spoke. "I think we need to stay put. It doesn't sound safe out there. We'll be safer in here."

Mai whipped around to face her friend and scowled. "My husband is out there! How can I feel safe anywhere when I know that this attack is an attempt to take his power…..to take his life?" The fear in Mai's eyes as she spoke those last words belied her unwavering voice.

Suki, never one to back down from a fight, sighed and shook her head. Mai was in no condition to fight and Suki had neither her fans nor sword. She knew that if they stepped out that door, there was a possibility that one, or both, of them would not make it back. But, Suki also knew that Mai was stubborn and oftentimes downright unreasonable. Despite the legendary bickering between the royals, Suki knew that Zuko was one subject on which Mai would not compromise, and he her. Giving in, she began walking toward the door. "Fine. Just stay close to me. I doubt you can do much in the way of fighting besides crushing bad guys with your enormous belly!" Suki chuckled in earnest at her bad joke.

"Ha ha" Mai grimly replied while flicking her wrist which caused three stilettos to drop into place.

Suki cautiously slid the door open, careful to remain inconspicuous in the chaos. Servants ran to and fro trying to escape the turmoil with the skin on their backs intact, while men dressed in black from head to foot battled royal guards. Mai noticed that some of the black clad men were fire benders, some earth benders, while others were not benders at all. She wondered who or what could compel such a sundry band of men to fight together. She was interrupted from her musings, however, when she noticed two of the sentries wearing her insignia lay bleeding and dying (or maybe already dead) not ten meters from the door. Each soldier had large gaping wounds which ripped through their abdomens leaving blood pooling around their lifeless bodies. Suki suggested they stop and tend to the soldiers' wounds. Mai, on the other hand, knew these soldiers were beyond help. Besides, about fifteen meters beyond that was the main corridor which leads to the throne room, and it was from that direction that she could hear more intensive fighting. As they neared the corridor, Mai looked over her shoulder. She could feel someone getting closer to her. A man maybe a few years older than herself was approaching. Like the messenger earlier in the day, he wore the stiff crimson robes of the palace servants. Bending imperceptibly forward from the waist he spoke: "Your highness, it is too dangerous that way! Follow me. I will help you escape."

Mai looked back at Suki. It was true, that way was dangerous, but Zuko was there and this was a strange unknown man. "Thank you but we'll manage." Mai turned to leave when the servant caught the hem of her sleeve.

"Please. The Fire Lord has sent me. He is safe in his bunker and requires me to bring you safely to him!" Mai eyed him suspiciously. Of all the men in Zuko's employ, why would he trust this one to deliver his wife? Just a few mornings ago Mai had seen him emptying night waste. Surely he would not send _this_ man…would he? But, a random servant would not be privy to the existence of the Fire Lord's bunker. The servant grew antsy waiting for Mai's response. She turned to Suki searching her eyes for advice. The only thing she found was uncertainty. _Well_, Mai thought, _at least if he tries something its two on one. I don't think the odds are in our favor if we set out on our own_.

"Ok. We'll go" said Mai. The guards were still fighting and servants were still fleeing. Men were yelling, women were shrieking, and babies and small children were crying. When they had escaped into the relative calm of a small ill-lit hallway Mai asked, "So my husband, the Fire Lord, he's ok?"

"Oh yeah. Better than ok. Actually, the insurgents weren't after him." At this point he turned, a menacing grin spreading across his lips, and faced the two women trailing him. With one rapid, flawless motion, he pulled a mace that had been secreted in his robes and struck Suki over the head with it. She hit the wall with a _thwack_ and her limp body slumped to the floor. Blood trickled down her forehead were the weapon had made contact with her head, and a light trail of blood marked where her head had made contact with the wall. Before she could think about it, Mai let the three stilettos fly and pinned his left sleeve to the wall. But the hallway was small and as she was reloading he was able to reach out and backhand her with such force that her head slammed into the opposite wall. The force of the slap busted her lip and as she slid down the wall she felt a sharp pain at her temple. As the room grew fuzzier, Mai saw the man struggle to loosen his arm from the wall. Growing frustrated, he ripped the sleeve from the garment leaving it to hang. He leaned in close to Mai, his sour breath assaulting the bruise forming on her face. "Actually, we were after you, your highness."

Mai closed her eyes and allowed herself to be swallowed in the swirling abyss.

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Thanks for reading! Please review if you liked (or if you didn't). My first attempt at action so please, I beg of you, give me some feedback. This will be a multi-chapter event so stay tuned! I can't promise that all chapters will have action but my attempt is to start out slow and build it up.

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	2. Chapter 2

As the sun traveled further westward along its azure backdrop, the afternoon's meeting slowly and agonizingly morphed into the evening. Southern Water Tribe dignitaries were visiting the Fire Nation to discuss lingering political and militaristic disputes between the two nations. The Southern Water Tribe had suffered more than the surviving three elements as their fates had nearly become synonymous with the Air Nomads. For four years, their diplomats had visited the Fire Nation at once requesting and then demanding reparations. Usually negotiations stalemated around mid-week, which brings them to their current predicament.

Fire Lord Zuko was sitting on the throne his father, his father's father, and many fathers before them had sat. The impressive display of fire which had been so characteristic of their reigns was noticeably less in his. Fire was not the superior element but one in a four part harmony. This, he rationalized, was part of the era of peace he was ushering in. The problem with the absence of a blazing inferno separating you and your audience is that the latter is privy to every twitch, every sigh, every gesture of agitation of the former. Unfortunately, the current Fire Lord was a master of wearing his emotions on the very hem of his silken sleeve, and at the moment it happened he was clinching his teeth in response to a particularly ridiculous request by a Water Tribesman.

"It" was a loud explosion which caused a massive boulder to block the entrance to the throne room. It happened so quickly that everyone, including the Fire Lord, was stunned into inaction. Only a moment later, Zuko lept from the throne and immediately attacked the rock with a burst of fire. Shards of earth flew, but the boulder remained. Katara, the only waterbender in the room, had accompanied her brother and father to the meeting to mediate between their countrymen and comrade. Flicking the cork on her jug, Katara wielded a stream of water like a sword. As with Zuko before her, fragments of earth chipped off but little damage was done. On the other side, the fighting was intense although the massive boulder muffled most of the sounds of the skirmish.

"What kind of attack on a palace would barricade the person they are attacking away from the fight?" Katara was really just thinking out loud, but Zuko overheard her. His eyes widened and the recognition was immediate. She was wrong. He wasn't the target at all. He called for his guards to help him blast way at the stone. They alternated fire and water and eventually some progress was made. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished into the floor below.

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A few hours later Zuko was pacing the floor in his study. Tea for two had been prepared and sat untouched on a gold platter near the edge of his cluttered desk. He was waiting for Mai, but he knew she wouldn't be joining him. As he was crossing the woven mat on the floor for the umpteenth time, the door slid open. Zuko spun on his heels to face not his wife but his security advisor, Tsang.

"I have some news on this afternoon's events my Lord" the older man spoke after forming a flame with his right hand stacked over his left. Zuko simply nodded his head. He was too nervous to say anything.

"Many of the insurgents have been captured and detained…about 15 in all. They are being interrogated at this very moment. Another 10 were killed and approximately 7 of our own men were lost in the fighting." Zuko hung his head momentarily and sighed before looking up and staring at his advisor with imploring eyes. "As for your wife, sir, I'm afraid the news isn't good. Her friend Suki was found badly wounded in a small corridor near the Fire Lady's study. Katara has seen her and treated her. She awoke momentarily but then slipped back into unconsciousness. About a half hour ago this arrived."

Tsang reached into his robe and retrieved a letter. He felt his chest tighten as he watched the Fire Lord read and reread the characters hastily scribbled on the parchment.

_Dearest Brother,_

_You have taken something that rightfully belongs to me, so I have taken something that rightfully belongs to you. Wait for my next letter. If you want her back, you'll do exactly as I say. _

Zuko's jaw hardened and his hands began burning the paper before he was fully aware of himself. His voice was low and gravelly when he spoke.

"Take me to her."


	3. Chapter 3

Hey Everybody! Its the 3rd installment. Thank you to everybody who reviewed, faved, and/or signed up for alerts. I've actually had this chapter done for a while but the next one was kicking my a-double scribbles, and since this was so short, I wanted to post them together as a thank you for your patience! So without further adieu....

BTW, I don't own Avatar, k?

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_When I came to I was lying on a thin mattress in a small, dark, damp room. It certainly wasn't comfortable, but I had endured worse under Azula before…_

The room Mai found herself in was small, no larger than a Third Class Seaman's cabin on a Fire Navy vessel. There were no windows in the room, just a door less than 10 paces to her right outlined by a faint glow behind it. Despite the lack of windows, Mai knew that she had been transported out of the Capital City and closer to the Harbor because of the thick, humid air that clung to her body. The air in the Capital, which was built in the crater of an inactive volcano, was much drier and somehow cooler than here despite the heat. As Mai's eyes adjusted to the dark she could see that beside the mattress there was a bucket of water with a dipper placed on a low stool. Recognizing her thirst for the first time since waking up, she ran her tongue over her lower lip to feel the dry crust of blood and the metallic taste returned to her mouth. Mai remembered the pain in her skull and when she touched her temple she winced at its tenderness.

Just then the door creaked open. The dull glow of fire light spilled into the room and Mai used an open palm to shield her eyes. Someone appeared in the door way and paused there momentarily. Mai squinted to see clearer, but her eyes had become adjusted to the dark and all she could see was the outline of the dark figure. Whoever it was was slightly shorter than average height, of slim but muscular build, and hair of at least shoulder length.

"I think we're getting a little old for this Azula." Mai's voice was low and coarse after going so long without speaking, but the more she spoke the more agitated her tone grew. "Kidnapping? That screams predictable. I think you're losing your touch." The figure moved into the dark and the closer it approached the clearer Mai's vision became. It wasn't Azula at all. It was a young boy maybe twelve or thirteen dressed in the uniform of a palace servant. He dropped a tray of food on the floor and turned to leave without a word.

Mai scrambled across the floor and grabbed the hem of his tunic. "Hey kid wait!" He turned over his shoulder and looked down at the Fire Nation's Queen on her hands and knees bloodied and bruised. She was never one to beg and she wouldn't start today but she needed answers and she needed them now. "Just tell me what she wants and when she wants it and it'll be done." Despite her position, her voice was strong, regal, and unwavering. The boy, however, batted her away and freed himself of her clutch. He smirked, spat at Mai and continued out the door. Mai's eyes grew wide and her nostrils flared. Her breathing became deep and ragged but she did not retaliate. Instead, she returned to the mattress, dipped the ladle in the bucket, and cleaned the blood, sweat, and now spit from her face.

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Um, yeah. No A/N. Just, please review...thanx ;-)


	4. Chapter 4

There is a brief flashback in this chapter that appears in italics. On with the show....

Still don't own A:TLA

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Zuko made quick, long strides through the palace corridors making it hard for the guards assigned to him to keep up. He was furious with Azula but more than that he knew he had to act quickly if he was to find her at all.

'Dearest Brother' the letter had stated. He shook his head at the memory. They had reconciled somewhat, though he was still cautiously pessimistic about her recovery. For two years following the war's end Azula was hospitalized in a sanatorium. Her mental state had deteriorated in the weeks following the incident at the Boiling Rock, and the night the war ended also ended Azula's ironclad grip on reality. Despite her time at the institution, little had been done to improve her condition. So Zuko called on Aang, and, as he had done to their father before, he removed Azula's bending abilities. This warranted another round of therapy, but within six months she was stable. She was moved into the palace in a small apartment, and guards and servants were assigned to her though her title was stripped. In the following months, Azula, Zuko, and Mai fell into a strange relationship that was cooler than amiable but warmer than callous. Then, about six months ago, everything changed.

_The three of them were sitting around a table on a patio overlooking one of the many courtyards. Zuko had grabbed Mai's hand under the table and was nervously stroking it._

"_Azula," he paused to clear his throat and his eyes darted from Azula to Mai back to Azula to his untouched cup of tea. "Azula I, um, I have some good news and I want you to hear it from us first." He looked at his sister, her heavy eyes more dull than they had been in the past. "We're um….well Mai is…."_

"_I'm pregnant" Mai interrupted Zuko's ramblings. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled broadly._

_Azula stopped tracing the pattern on the cup. She placed it slowly on the table and cocked her head upward as if the movement itself would better her understanding of Mai's words. There was a flicker of life in her eyes. Just for a moment and then it passed._

"_Congratulations Zuko." Azula's tone was cold, detached, and conveyed none of her words' felicitations. "You've got want you want brother, what you need. An heir. So what is to become of deranged little sister now? I guess you can just get rid of me discretely. I'm more of a liability in our little Nation than an asset right?" _

_Zuko's mouth fell open but before he could speak Mai countered. "Everything isn't about you anymore Azula!"_

"_This isn't about me?!" Azula screeched. "This has everything to do with me! You've always wanted what I've had, both of you! You—she pointed at Zuko—couldn't stand that I was a better bender. You couldn't stand that father favored me. So what did you do? You took it away and you took him away! And you—she now pointed at Mai—couldn't stand being in the shadow of the royal family. You think just because you've married my brother and you're carrying his baby makes you royalty. Well it doesn't! My father got rid of my mother when he tired of her and my brother can easily do the same to you!" _

Zuko breathed deeply as he entered Azula's apartment uninvited and unannounced. Two soldiers were reclined on the divan with dominoes spread on the table before them. Upon seeing their visitor, the two men hastily dropped to their knees and prostrated themselves before the Fire Lord.

"Good evening my Lord. How may we be of service?" One soldier spoke while keeping his face pressed to the floor.

"Is my sister here?"

"Yes my Lord but…"

"Good. Bring her to me."

"She is sleeping my Lord."

"THEN WAKE HER UP!"

"Yes my lord, as you wish." The two men exited the formal parlor and Zuko remained, guards in tow. He paced the room contemplating what he would say to Azula when he saw her. He was only half surprised when the men returned so quickly without Azula.

"Split up!" Zuko began without waiting to hear what either guard had to say. "Hyun, you and your men search the palace. Jung, you and your men begin searching the Western quadrants of the Capital, while Min you'll take the East. Soo, I want you and your men to venture into the Harbor City. You two—this he addressed to Azula's guards—will comb through the apartment with me." Facing his guards again, he continued: " I don't think I need to urge you to exercise caution seeing as where you find my sister you will find my wife."

The soldiers bowed to their lord and exited the apartment quickly. Hastily, Zuko headed for Azula's quarters but before he could get there something in the courtyard caught his eye. He had seen movement in his periphery but when he turned his head the figure had vanished. Maybe it was Azula? Maybe it was one of her spies? Maybe it was nothing at all. Maybe but there was too much on the table to make that wager.

Zuko entered Azula's bedroom and quietly exited to a patio overlooking the courtyard. The moon was nearly full and blanketed the lush foliage in a silvery light. The heady scent of the gardenia bushes and the hum of cicadas made for a calm evening that was at odds with the chaos of the day. It was less than five minutes before he saw her by the pond. She was trailing her fingers through the water while koi fish danced in the hoary light. Azula was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she did not hear her brother approach.

"Azula." She jumped at the interruption. Looking over her shoulder she saw her brother's face hardened against the soft glow of the moon.

"Zuko….Zuko" She repeated his name as though the repetition was a source of comfort. "I know what happened today and I'm sorry."

Zuko sucked his teeth, eschewing her comment. "Of course you know what happened. You masterminded the attack, did you not? What confuses me is why you're still here at all."

Azula's brows furrowed and her mouth contorted strangely. The haze under which Azula lived the last four years thinned and a glimpse of her former self returned. She threw her head back and cackled loudly. "Come now Zuko. Isn't that a bit absurd? I have no power, physical or political, and you've made sure that I'm under constant surveillance in this glorified house arrest that you've arranged. Now tell me, how, despite these great obstacles, did I manage to abduct Mai? And then why did I decide to hang around here so that you could find me? Why not use this as the perfect chance to escape?"

Zuko honestly didn't have an answer to her questions. They seemed logical enough but then there was the issue of the letter. Azula clearly had motive and maybe even opportunity. Not only that, there was his childhood mantra: Azula always lies.

Azula **did **always lie and she was lying to him now, or at least that's what Zuko made himself to believe. "Guards!" He yelled, his voice piercing the still of the night. Seconds later when they appeared he continued. "Take my sister into custody. I believe she knows more that she's letting on. I don't care how you get it, but I want the truth out of her."

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A/N: whew *wipes sweat from brow* I wonder how Zuko's going to get the information out of Azula? I have some ideas of course, but I'm open to suggestions


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for your reviews and favs! Don't have much to say on this chapter other than I hope you enjoy!

Still don't own A:tLA :(

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Zuko was pacing the hallway outside of Suki's room in the palace infirmary. She had just awaken from her unconscious state and while Zuko wanted to be respectful of Sokka and Katara's time with her, he was anxious to see what she could remember of the attack. His guards had yet to find any leads on Mai's whereabouts and his agents were following up on some intelligence they had sifted from palace servants but all were leading to dead ends. Suki could potentially hold the missing link in his search.

"Hey Zuko!" It was Sokka. His voice echoed down the corridor, breaking the silence that had settled back on the palace. "Suki can see you now."

Zuko walked into the room. He tried not to make a face when he saw Suki's badly bruised body. "Suki, I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling like somebody mistook me for their punching bag" she chuckled and the effort made her wince in pain. "I'm just glad that Katara was able to heal me. If she hadn't I don't think I…" Her voice faded off. Zuko reached down and taking her hand in his squeezed it gently. She smiled in response.

A few awkward silent moments passed. Zuko wasn't sure what the other three were thinking but he was thinking about his wife. What if she was injured as bad as or worse than Suki? There was likely no waterbender to tend to her injuries or those of his unborn child. Suki, feeling the uneasiness of the room, broke the silence. "How is Mai? Can I see her?"

Zuko's shoulders sagged. If she didn't know that Mai was kidnapped then how was she to give him any useful information about her kidnapper? Zuko didn't really know how to answer Suki, so he simply replied: "She's gone." Sokka put his hand on his friend's shoulder and squeezed. He had some idea of what the young Fire Lord was experiencing.

"You mean she's…she's…" Suki's voice waivered and tears began to well in her eyes. A lump formed in her throat that was more painful that the dark bruises on her face.

"No no no" Katara said. Her voice was a harsh whisper. She had understood what Suki was implying before she was able to speak the word. "She was kidnapped in the attack."

"Oh I see." Suki was relieved but not by much. "Who do you think is responsible?"

"Maybe Azula but I don't know. My gut says it isn't her. I was hoping that maybe you could help us out."

Suki closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She was trying to remember what happened yesterday but her memory was failing her. She had hit her head pretty hard when that man knocked her into the wall. "I'm sorry Zuko but I can't remember anything. Everything is a complete blur."

Zuko nodded his head but remained silent. Rising from Suki's bedside he finally spoke. "I should let you rest. I'll see to it that you'll have everything you need."

***

In his study a few hours later, Zuko was reviewing the Lead Investigator's report of his sister's interrogation. According to the report:

_At 0000 hrs the suspect, former Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, hereafter referred to as Suspect, was detained by authority of Lord Zuko, Fire Lord of the Fire Nation._

_At 0030 hrs interrogations of Suspect began. Lead interrogator, Captain Zheng of the Royal Guard assisted by Lieutenant Xi of the Royal Guard. Interrogations supervised by Commander Tiang. _

_Between 0100 hrs and 0300 hrs Suspect maintained innocence throughout interviewer._

_At 0300 hrs Suspect and investigators were allowed to break._

_At 0330 hrs Interrogation resumed._

_Between 0330 hrs and 0500 hrs, Suspect maintained innocence. _

_At 0500 hrs Interrogators took a break for breakfast. Suspect was not fed._

_At 0600 hrs shift changed. Captain Zheng was replaced by Captain Lei of the Royal Guard and Lieutenant Xi was replaced by Lieutenant Rho of the Royal Guard. Interrogations were supervised by Commander Tiang._

_Between 0600 hrs and 0900 hrs Suspect maintained innocence._

_At 0900 hrs Investigators took a break. Suspect was denied food and water._

_Between 0930 hrs and 1200 hrs Suspect interrogated. Suspect maintained innocence._

_At 1200 hrs Interrogators took a break for lunch. Suspect again denied food and water. Upon command of Commander Tiang, interrogation methods changed._

_At 1300 hrs, Suspect transported to room which houses The Rack. Suspect bound to Rack. The Rack was operated by Lieutenant Rho at the instruction of Captain Lei._

_At 1330 hrs, Suspect still maintained innocence_

_At 1500 hrs, interrogators successfully elicited confession from Suspect. _

_At 1530 hrs, Suspect unstrapped from The Rack._

_At 1600 hrs, Physician from Infirmary attended to Suspect's injuries sustained during interrogation._

_At 1730 hrs, Suspect was released to private cell in Dungeon where she awaits his Royal Highness._

_Respectfully submitted by Commander Tiang, 3__rd__ Division Royal Guard at 1800 hrs._

Zuko read and reread the report. He needed to prepare himself mentally before conducting his own interview with his sister. Zuko ordered calming chamomile tea from the kitchen and lit the candles on an altar before him. He placed a small portrait of Mai on the altar and a pair of booties that she had knitted for their baby. He knew that he would need to approach Azula rationally and he could only do that by focusing on what was important to him. He concentrated on his breathing. Deep breathe in. Slow, calming breathe out. He repeated this until he had breathed all the hatred and anger from his body. But, before he could attain a true sense of peace, Fire Lord Zuko was interrupted by a knock at the door.

The candles flared in response to Zuko's agitation at the disturbance. "What!" Zuko snarled.

"My Lord, a letter had come for you. It bears the same seal as the one that came for you following the attack."

Zuko snatched the letter from the servant and ripped it open. Scanning the characters on the page, he seethed with rage. Forgetting his nearly acquired calm and his regal composition, he fled his quarters for the dungeons.

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Thanks for reading! Please review :) If you're interested, The Rack is an actual torture device used in Midieval Europe (specifically Tudor England). Found it on Wikipedia when conducting my research for this chapter. Hopefully I will have ch 6 up shortly!

Once again thanks for reading and plz review!


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